Proclaiming God of life entails mission from the margins

15 April 2013

“The urgency of life today” drives Christian engagement in mission, say ten contributors to a new issue of the International Review of Mission (IRM), which links the new paradigm of mission to the theme of the upcoming World Council of Churches (WCC) assembly.

“The struggles for life, the cries of suffering people and creation are not decreasing; yearnings for a better world are louder than ever before,” says IRM editor Jooseop Keum in his editorial. “In this context, the [assembly] theme is a prayer to the Triune God, who is the creator, redeemer and sustainer of all life, to lead the whole world to fullness of life.”

Ten authors explore the changing mission paradigm in relation to the theme of the upcoming 10th Assembly of the WCC in Busan, Republic of Korea, 30 October to 8 November, “God of life, lead us to justice and peace.”

The recently approved ecumenical affirmation on mission, “Together towards life: mission and evangelism in changing landscapes,” is the first such statement in thirty years. It will be the subject of one of the plenary sessions and two ecumenical conversations at the upcoming WCC assembly.

In this issue, says Keum, contributors “read the assembly theme from missiological perspectives. Eight leading missiologists and theologians from contexts in all six continents and diverse Christian traditions offer their reflections.”

The new paradigm invites Christians “to participate in God’s mission” of shalom, writes Metropolitan Geevarghese Coorilos, in ways that reorient mission activities to become “mission from the margins,” uniting in solidarity and hospitality with those whose lives are jeopardized by poverty, illness and violence.

Authentic Christian engagement becomes “a ‘no’ to senseless death,” argues Nyambura Njoroge, as she highlights the situation and stance of African women. The goal of mission then becomes “to proclaim a God of life and build a civilization of love,” argues contributor Daniel G. Groody of the University of Notre Dame.

The journal, published in collaboration with Wiley Blackwell, is available in print and online subscriptions.